Zac Efron's Lotus Hollywood van on site at 2022 Central West Caravan and Camping Expo in Orange

Throngs of eager campers at the Central West Caravan and Camping Expo in Orange this weekend got up close and personal with a van like the one used by Zac Efron recently during his lengthy stay in Australia.

Mr Efron - who shot to fame on the back of the High School Musical franchise a decade ago before starring in movies like New Year's Eve and then later The Greatest Showman - featured in the Stan Original 'Gold' in South Australia in the Flinders Rangers and Leigh Creek throughout 2021, where he spent over a year escaping COVID-ravaged America. And he did so in a Lotus Hollywood.

A luxury home on wheels, the Lotus Hollywood is "fitted with every conceivable smart feature" and offers extra entertaining room to those inside, and there was one at the Australian National Field Days site at the expo for anyone interested in those super specs for their next trip.

"The Hemsworth brothers have them as well and we're building one for The Rock at the moment. He'll be shooting a movie here soon," Lotus national sales manager Kane Morley said.

"It's all about quality."

That quality, along with a host of others, was on show in Orange over the weekend for the Central West Caravan and Camping Expo.

Ken Mansfield, from Wagga Caravans, says getting his fleet of over 20 caravans from the Riverina up to Orange is an ordeal made worthwhile by those that run the expo.

"It's always hard work bringing up 21 vans through road works, getting them here, washed and up to scratch and then ready for the show ... but we love coming to Orange. The people here who run this show do the best job out of any expo we go to," Mr Mansfield said.

Strong crowds flocked to the expo over three days last weekend.

From rounding up bison on horse back to checking out the best caravans and camping gear on offer, those interesting in travelling across Australia had all of the latest technology to check out ahead of their next trip.

Mr Mansfield said there's been a real boom in the industry since COVID-19 put a halt to international travel at the start of 2020.

"Absolutely. That's what the demand is. A lot of people had never ventured into the caravan lifestyle before then," he said.

"One of the first questions we're asked is 'when can I we get a van?' ... but we reply with 'when do you want one?' because wait times for some models are out to September, 2023.

"Demand is through the roof. But it's always the same case: you have to take your time and buy the right van. Don't rush out and buy first one you see. That's the most important thing. You need to enjoy it, so buy the right one."

Shane Carpenter was at the expo over the weekend but, although an avid camper, hasn't been able to travel as far as he'd like due to travel restrictions.

He was impressed with the size of the crowd on site at Borenore and says it was great to see the expo and travel industry "slowly getting back into the swing of it".

And what did he see that will likely make it into the van next time he packs up the family and goes on a trip?

"I found these little 12 volt ovens that you can plug into a car; whack a pie or a sausage roll in ... that'll be the next addition," Mr Carpenter laughed.

"It's probably not one of those things you need, but it'll be great to have."

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